Till even a few days the general notion was that the COVID-19 virus can be transmitted through coughing, sneezing and even by touch. Well if you thought if you had taken precautions to prevent such an occurrence, brace yourself once more. The transmission of the pandemic COVID-19 virus can happen as you talk.
New fact about transmission of coronavirus
Researchers have said that pathogens like the novel coronavirus can also be transmitted through talking. As one talks, thousands of droplets are launched. These droplets are so small that they can remain suspended in air for eight to 14 minutes. And if it is from a coronavirus-infected person, there is every possibility of the virus being suspended among these droplets.
This research article has been published in ‘The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences’. It offers an explanation as to how people with mild symptoms and sometimes even without any signs are transmitting the virus to people they are in close contact with. Researchers are yet to ascertain the quantity of the virus that is being is transmitted while talking. But they are certain talking also can transmit the COVID-19 virus.
Wearing masks a must
The new finding emphasises the utility of wearing masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus. There have been many who have questioned the authenticity of wearing masks. US President Donald Trump is still not wearing one in any of his meetings. Who knows, his luck may run out very soon.
Well Donald Trump has the government coffers to get himself tested every day. Those that haven’t, it is better for them to wear masks. It is the best protection to prevent the ‘talking’ droplets from transmitting the virus.
Scientists have been on the same page till now that coronavirus can be transmitted through touch, through coughing and sneezing. However, this new development will not only have them worried but will also affect the panic-stricken world. As it is the world has become a quiet place since the imposition of lockdown. Now if people refrain from talking the silence will definitely be deafening.
Ill-effects of coughing and sneezing
Experiments have revealed how coughing and sneezing contaminates the air with saliva and mucus. A sick person, through coughing and sneezing can emit hundreds of millions of virus particles into the air. Those remain suspended and if another person comes in contact with those, there is every chance of getting infected. A single cough usually propels about 3,000 respiratory droplets. The number grows drastically for sneezing. It is much more forceful and so can produce close to 40,000 droplets.
Emission of droplets while speaking
Researchers however, have said that even during normal conversations droplets are emitted into the air. The louder one talks, the number of droplets increase. Researchers at the ‘National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the University of Pennsylvania’ carried out an experiment to prove this point.
They asked volunteers to say ‘stay healthy’ into a cardboard box open at one and sealed at the other. The volunteers had to place their mouth at the open end and say the two words. The box was illuminated with green laser rays. The rays tracked bursts of droplets produced by the speaker. It showed 2,600 small droplets were produced while the volunteers spoke. The numbers grew as the repetitions grew louder.
Even normal speaking can cause virus transmission
Previous studies have proved exactly how much coronavirus genetic material can be found in oral fluids of an infected person. Based on this knowledge, researchers estimate that a single minute of loud speaking by a coronavirus infected person can generate at least 1,000 virus-containing droplets. This indeed is an alarming figure.
“These observations confirm that there is a substantial probability that normal speaking causes airborne virus transmission in confined environments,” the authors wrote in the study.
Theories against social distancing
In each and every country now emphasis is being laid on social distancing and the distance being prescribed is six feet. According to experts social distancing lowers the risk of infections.
However, that may not be case according to some scientists. They say that droplets can travel more than six feet. It all depends on the force with which they are launched. A suppressed sneeze may see the droplets failing to travel more than three feet, but a sneeze with force… well the answer is there for everyone to see. The droplets are like projectiles, the harder the launch, the further they travel.
So it’s just not sneezing, coughing or touch that you need to get protection from. Talking, if the researchers are to be believed, can be another method of transmitting the deadly virus. The louder you speak, the more the COVID-19 virus travels.
So beware… the virus may be stalking you even as you interact with another person.
Agencies